City Announces Free Wi-Fi in All 5 Boroughs

The city also announced a broadband rating platform for office buildings

Published Oct 1, 2013 at 5:10 AM

Receive the latest local updates in your inbox

New York plans to offer free public Wi-Fi in commercial districts in all five boroughs, officials said Monday.

The city also announced the launch of WiredNYC, a rating platform that evaluates the broadband connectivity and infrastructure of office buildings in an effort to encourage and accelerate the use of the technology.

“Free public wireless networks in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, along with the new broadband rating program, will advance our goal of equipping all New Yorkers with the tools they need to participate in the innovation economy," said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Kyle Kimball.

Free public Wi-Fi access will be added in the following places:

In Lower Manhattan along the Water Street Corridor and the East River waterfront

In the Flatiron District on 23rd Street from Third to Sixth avenues

Along Harlem’s 125th Street corridor from Second Avenue to Broadway

On Roosevelt Island between the Ed Koch Queensboro and Roosevelt Island bridges

Downtown Brooklyn in the area within the borders of Cadman Plaza West, Flatbush Avenue and Shermerhorn and Tillary streets

Near the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, on Fulton Street from Rockwell Place to Classon Avenue

In the Brownsville area of Brooklyn in the area bordered by Mother Gaston Boulevard and Sutter, Pitkin and Howard avenues

In the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens between Queens Plaza and Jackson and Vernon boulevards

On Staten Island in the St. George commercial district between St. Marks and Stuyvesant places on Hyatt Street

Along Fordham Road in the Bronx from Grand Concourse to Arthur Avenue on East Fordham Road.

The CEO of Kushner Companies, Jared Kushner, is operating WiredNYC on behalf of the city. Ten of the city's largest real estate owners are participating and more than 150 buildings are signed up for the program.

"Staying connected is critical to success in the 21st-century knowledge economy — whether you are building an office for your tech startup or trying to take your small business to the next level," said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel.